When you face panic head on?

[angieb]

After a little blip recently after what I thought was panic under control I have revisited some survival techniques but also something new.

Went away last weekend quite worried really as my pulse rate was very irrational again (for what seems no reason just took off and brought on major panic attack) however had two occasions where the race came on and instead of running or distracting I just said OK then come on - I have a paper bag in my handbag let's just get it over with. One of these in the chiller section of the supermarket again and one in the middle of a dark aquarium [:O] Both times as I felt my heart kick of and that horrible I can't breathe sensation I just said to myself here we go - come on and both times it was over and away within two minutes...has anyone else tried this approach?

I am gobsmaked as in the aquarium I thought i'd lose it for sure, I was half way through the tour - no outside light, no doors just either go back or carry on, at the bottom of the stairs going over a tank I suddenly got that overwhelming urge to run - or I would die. I grabbed my hubbys hand and said get me out of here now and started to breath heavily he just said to me why - it is the same distance foreward than back I am here just carry on and no sooner had I got up thhe stairs heart thumping did it start to go off - I am sure had I ran or made a quick exit I would have taken ages to get over it. Spent another very comfortable hour and a half in the aquarium and felt great. Also since then (on Tuesday) I have not had another episode at all almost as if someone has flicked the trigger switch off again.

Is it really just fear of the fear that keeps this thing alive?

[mazz]

hi angieb well done for tackling the panic face on . iam trying to do the same thing myself , i think go on then hit me with it and then clear off . have you read claire weekes book? she says the same ,,,,, accept it ,,, float ,, control . is helping me so i hope it helps you luv mazz x

[Tan The Man]

Excellent Angie

Yes I think the fear of the fear is one of the greatest triggers. But just ignoring it is easier said than done.

In the past I used to also have the mentality of just facing the panic, and often enough it would just fade away. But recently I have been under more stress than usual and my attacks got a lot worse. So at the moment I am having problems facing them. Hence have started on meds.

stay positive and keep doing what your doing.....you might just have the panic monster licked. :D

Take Care
Tan

[angieb]

Hi Mazz and Tan

Thank you for your thoughts.

I hear what you are saying Tan but I don't actually mean I ignored it (boy have I done that in the past) I mean I just actually almost invited it - "oh, here you are, let me have it then" kind of attitude" - it was an instant disarming of the rising fear - how could I feel scared when I was asking it to hurry up and happen? - I just found it really weird?

Instead of the it's coming, it's coming I need to stop it thoughts I just thought yep I can deal with this when it arrives - bring it on. I hope that I scared it away this time...that would be a nice change [:P]

[rick]

Hi Angie

I learned to do that also... And, it works, too - most of the time, anyway. When I feel a twinge, or one of the dreaded mexican or chinese food induced heart attacks coming on, (which, before, would cause me to sit up half the night, taking my pulse, BP, wondering if I should wake the wife so she'd know if I keeled over), I just sit back and say, ok, well if I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go, and that's just the way it is.

It's a VERY hard thing to learn, and, admittedly, when I get twinges and gurgles from unknown places, I STILL will check my pulse and such, but, so far, I haven't dropped dead yet, a fact which I constantly remind myself of during those times.

I agree, ignoring these feelings is virtually impossible - for me, anyway- but, saying to the twinges and palpitations, "Ok, just go ahead, just do your worst and get on with it", usually works for me.

Keep up the good work!

Rick

It is better to be a free bird than a captive king...

[tygwyn]

Angie that is brilliant progress!

For any mods reading this I think it should be moved to the Success Stories section!!

Well done you!

Rach xxxx

"True acceptance means 'facing and relaxing' - it is submission" (Claire Weekes)

[Meg]

Done

[angieb]

Not sure I would call it a success as yet...lol!

But am interested to read about others success with this method :-)

[andrew]

hi angie, it sounds like a success.

i did do something very similar, altho i think my thoughts were more along the lines that i can push myself through the panic / anxiety attack - it wont feel nice but it wont kill me. it helped loads because it lifted alot of the restrictions of where i was comfortable to go or things that i could do. take care .. andrew

[Meg]

Staying in the situation and then challenging it to get worse is JFDI with attitude.

You have already been doing this when you improved earlier in the year Angie, maybe not with such a confrontation attitude but one method you already have proven many times .

Energy follows thought so as you change your emotion you change the feelings and some just don't mix.

Well done

Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[doddy]

well done you.

I belive what u did is the way to beat this, truly i do. I get intrusive thoughts and now instead of being scared of them i say right lets make the worse then!!!!!!!! and they go as quckly as they came, lose the fear and wgeres the problem?? it gone, and worry is just fear.

well done.

andy

[Piglet]

Totally agree!!!

Love Piglet :)

"Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?" said Piglet.
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought.